Crystals & Shadows
by Yen
Summary: [completed story] The light oftentimes seems too frail against darkness. So easy to destroy, harder to mend. For two said to be equal, the scales are tipped unfairly.
1. Default Chapter

The Lion and the Serpent  
  
I - Shattered  
  
The ground was cold and damp, yet he found comfort in it, little though it was. His eyes were closed, his throat tight with tears, which he refused to shed. He wouldn't cry; he will not weep. Eventhough the world had turned to hell. Eventhough, he wanted to die.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Has he spoken yet?" Black eyes usually calm, seldom filled with distraught, stared with great worry and trepidation at Rowena as their owner awaited an answer to her question which though simple in form had desperation etched in every whispered syllable.  
  
Those eyes closed when Rowena remained silent, only gently shaking her head. After a few moments, they both looked to the door, beside of which they were standing in wait. It had been locked and barred since early morn.  
  
"Where is Salazar?" Asked Rowena after another too tense a moment had passed.  
  
"I don't know," said Helga with a bothered exhalation. "I lost him. He was driving his horse so hard, I fear the poor beast will collapse before they reach wherever Salazar is heading to." It said much that Helga pitied Salazar's Thestral. She very rarely cared for any animal of any sort.  
  
"I have never seen him so angry before," added Helga after some hesitation.  
  
"I have," murmured Rowena. When Helga inquired for details, she declined to reveal them. The experience she had referred to was so little compared to what Godric had gone through.  
  
Salazar had been present to protect her.  
  
Godric had been alone.  
  
~*~*~  
  
To be continued. 


	2. Violation

Thank you very much to Anita Skeeter and I.C. Fire for reviewing the first chapter bit. (crosses fingers and hopes this chapter will get two reviews as well) Also, thank you to Calis-chan who nitpicked this bit.  
  
II - Violation  
  
W-what are you doing?  
  
... Stop! S-stop it!  
  
Let me go!  
  
Let me go!  
  
Stop it!  
  
It was the burning in his lungs which finally awoke him, rescuing him from the nightmare.  
  
Godric's head broke through the water's surface. His arms and legs flailed as his body struggled with overwhelming fear and panic coursing through him like wildfire. He calmed slightly when his clammy hands and their shaking fingers found purchase on the cold ceramic rim of the bath tub.  
  
He choked and coughed out swallowed soapy water and saliva. His stomach muscles cramped, twisting in pain, and he began vomiting what meager contents was in it. What came out was only bile and stomach acid. He had already vomited several times before he forced himself into the hot scalding water, now tepid.  
  
He had been sitting in the bath for hours.  
  
When finally he had emptied his lungs of bath water, and the fit racking him subsided, he vaguely noticed how wrinkled his skin was for having been submerged in water for so long.  
  
And how raw it felt. He had scrubbed himself hard, trying to clean away, futilely attempting to remove the filthy feeling clinging to his flesh like a second dead skin. It was useless.  
  
He still felt dirty.  
  
~*~*~  
  
To be continued. 


	3. Fury

Thank you for reviewing, Silverfox. ^^ One less review than I had hoped for, but this fic will go on! Again, thank you to Calis-chan for looking over this chapter bit.  
  
III - Fury  
  
The castle door seemed to groan in protest after he had slammed it shut. The students milling in the entrance hall stared at Salazar, whose sudden angry appearance had surprised them. They quailed instinctively when cold green eyes glared at them and left the hall hastily, leaving the tall thin silver-haired wizard alone.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Did you find the ones responsible, Salazar?" Rowena sounded cold. For a moment, he thought the witch standing in front of him was an imposter. Salazar hadn't been surprised when he found her waiting for him when he entered his room. He was; however, surprised that Helga wasn't there as well.  
  
But then, the other witch would be keeping watch on Godric.  
  
"I found them, Rowena," he answered in a tone icy enough to match hers. There was a flicker of pity that ran across her face. It vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and though he could not read any emotion in her eyes now, he was certain she must be satisfied, as he was.  
  
Though he did felt regretful that he hadn't prolonged the torture and agony much longer.  
  
No! P-please! Enough!  
Why do you care?! You're one of us!  
He's from the other side! Why do you care?!  
Nooo! No more!  
My Lord, please forgive us!  
  
Their screams of pain had been like music to his ears. Salazar smiled grimly, one might even say nastily, as he walked towards his closet. But Rowena passed him, reaching it first. A slight shake of her head told him she would prepare fresh clothes for him.  
  
Understanding, Salazar began removing his soiled and blood-stained robes.  
  
~*~*~  
  
To be continued. 


	4. Innocence

Yay! Two reviews this time! Double thanks to Silverfox for reviewing again. ^^ And Tia'RaHu, thank you too very much. And again to Calis-chan for looking this bit over. I hope this will have reviews as well.  
  
IV - Innocence  
  
"Have you seen Godric?" A worried Helga asked Rowena. "I checked his rooms. He is not in any of them."  
  
"It is all right," replied Rowena with a reassuring smile. "I saw him a while ago. He was on his way to the forest."  
  
Helga paused. "... Again?"  
  
"You know how he is, Helga."  
  
"Yes, I know, but still... It has only been a few days since-" Helga broke off, leaving the sentence incomplete as her eyes hardened with anger.  
  
Rowena breathed out softly, understanding what was left unsaid.  
  
"I am going after him," Helga declared. She hesitated when Rowena told her that Salazar was already following Godric.  
  
~*~*~  
  
They would not come to him anymore. Godric felt dizzy with pain, but not from the shameful injuries he had suffered. He would recover from that. He would. He would make sure he would.  
  
But there was one thing he had lost forever.  
  
... They will not come to me anymore.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Godric was a fine huntsman who knew how to move stealthfully when he desired, leaving no mark or trace behind of his passing. Though he was only twenty-three years old, he was already considered as one of the foremost masters in hunting and capturing wild beasts, magical creatures and such.  
  
But there was something wrong, for Salazar was able to follow the tracks of the other wizard's passage through the woods.  
  
This is so unlike Godric, thought Salazar as he stopped to pick up a broken twig from the forest floor.  
  
Suddenly, from up ahead, he heard a soft call and an undecided-sounding equine whicker. Concerned, he moved towards the direction of the noises quickly. Salazar came out into a small open space in the thick dense undergrowth just in time to see the white flash of a unicorn's hindquarters as it fled into the trees.  
  
In the center of the clearing stood Godric. He turned slowly to Salazar, who had a stunned expression on his face.  
  
"... Godric," he said, his voice was raspy with uncertainty. But the red-haired wizard turned, refusing to face him. As Salazar stepped towards him, Godric walked away, his steps at first slightly stumbling, his movements, difficult. As he reached the border of trees surrounding them, he broke into a run, leaving Salazar to stare numbly after him.  
  
... An innocent, Salazar unwillingly realized. ... He was an innocent.  
  
~*~*~  
  
To be continued. 


	5. Lure

Author's note: ::grins:: Silverfox, there is no way a unicorn will let Salazar near it. Tia'RaHu, the Thirteen had nothing to do with this. Shirely, I hope your question is answered. ::hugs Sara:: Tinderblast, you know already. ^^ Miss Sera, feel free to imagine what had happened.  
  
V- Lure  
  
"Godric," someone called out from behind him, and he turned to see Helga hurrying through the entrance hall, which was teeming with students going on their ways. Breakfast had just ended.  
  
"Where are you going off to now?" Helga asked immediately as soon as she reached him by the main doors. There was a look of disapproval on her face when he answered he was heading to the forest.  
  
"Really, Godric," she reprimanded, "no more hunting. You have captured enough creatures to make the Great Hunter Orion himself envious."  
  
"I'm not going out to hunt, Helga," he answered, sounding patient though he desperately wanted to leave. He knew she wasn't making a fuss, because she didn't want him capturing another beast.  
  
Godric knew Helga was worried for his sake, because of what had happened to him.  
  
***  
  
Before Helga could suggest that she go along with him, Godric turned away abruptly and left with a brusque, "Leave me alone."  
  
"Godric!" Even as she finished his name, he was already out the doors and down the steps. She was about to go after him when she heard Rowena calling her name.  
  
Helga turned to see the other witch standing just a few steps behind her with a crowd of students and children milling around them and watching with puzzled expectant eyes.  
  
For the few times in her life, Helga felt helpless when Rowena shook her head, silently saying to Helga to leave Godric alone.  
  
***  
  
I wish they would leave me alone.  
  
Out in the open field between the castle and the dark brooding forest, Godric shivered though it was warm and sunny without a single cloud to mar the perfect blue sky.  
  
He felt cold, feeling as though he was naked as he quickened his pace until he was running rather than walking. He only slowed when he entered into the woods.  
  
The path which he often took while in the forest was a trail so hard to discern that Godric was certain no one else knew there was even a path. As for how Salazar had found him several days ago, Godric knew it was his own fault for stumbling like a blind man through the woods that day and thus leaving a trail so clear any amateur tracker could follow.  
  
But not today. He would be careful today. Godric could only hope Salazar had forgotten the way to the clearing. Unicorns usually gather there, and they would stop coming there if Salazaar visited the area too often.  
  
The unicorns barely tolerated Godric's presence now.  
  
Tainted... They know I'm tainted, Godric thought sadly as he neared his destination. They won't let me touch them now. They won't even let me approach them.  
  
But at least they don't run away.  
  
As long as I don't come too near.  
  
Suddenly, he heard a fearful cry coming from the direction of the clearing. Godric froze momentarily before rushing the rest of the way. He burst into the open area and was stopped dead by the sight that greeted him.  
  
In the center of the clearing, enclosed in a large shimmering silver sphere was a unicorn foal, still golden.  
  
It was whinnying softly, piteously, clearly frightened by its captor standing outside the translucent prison.  
  
It was Salazar.  
  
To be continued. 


	6. Promise

http://www.fictionalley.org/ficalley/reviews/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=62 - My story board at FA.org - You don't have to be a member or to register to visit. Crystals and Shadows is finished. There will be a sequel for CnS after HnH is finished.  
  
VI - Promise  
  
"What are you going to do?" Godric demanded, confronting Salazar whose calm face and shrewd eyes told that he had been expecting Godric.  
  
"Sell it, of course," Salazar answered blandly, pretending not to see the horror dawning on the other wizard's face.  
  
Turning pale, Godric shifted his eyes from Salazar to the unicorn foal that was keeping to the far side of its glowing prison. After a few moments, he looked back at the Dark wizard.  
  
"You cannot to do such a thing," Godric said faintly. When Salazar lifted a questioning brow, silently querying why he shouldn't, Godric began blurting out reasons such as:  
  
"It will be on display. Its tail and mane hairs would be plucked out. They will sell rides- They will slaughter it for its horn when it's full grown! Salazar, you cannot do this!"  
  
However his arguments fell heedless on Salazar's ears. The wizard simply countered that its fate would be no different from countless other creatures and beasts.  
  
"It is just an animal, Godric."  
  
"Just an animal?! No, Salazar, it is not just an animal!"  
  
There was a frightened neigh at Godric's furious shout. All of a sudden regretful, Godric quieted with regret, reaching his hand to rest it on the shimmering wall of the sphere. He would try to comfort the poor creature trapped inside. He expected the globe to be unyielding to his touch, but his fingers felt nothing though his eyes perceived that they had met the barrier.  
  
Something tugged gently on his fingers. It seemed as though an invisible hand had closed over his and was pulling with increasing insistence. Godric let out a startled cry when he was drawn in bodily. Propelled forward by a powerful unseen force, Godric's feet caught against each other, tripping their owner. He landed on his knees and hands, his face pressing into rasping autumn leaves littered across the ground.  
  
Once again, the unicorn cried, terrified. Godric looked up to see it rear and bashed its fore hooves against the inner wall of the sphere. Clack! Clack! They went, the sound was solid and hard. Futilely, it tried to break its way out, away into the safe trees, away from the dirty human in its cage.  
  
Tears clogged Godric's throat making thick the reassuring words he whispered in vain.  
  
"Don't be afraid. I will not hurt you. Don't be afraid."  
  
But it continued to cry and ram its feet on the wall. It sounded so plaintive and wretched that Godric forced himself to his feet, turning away to stare through unshed tears at Salazar on the outside. Too burdened pain, he failed to discern the sad haze in the green eyes watching him closely.  
  
"Let it go, Salazar." Godric's words were slowly said, heavy in weight. When he heard no answer, he added, "Please," in a single desperate syllable.  
  
It moved Salazar. With a movement of hand and wand that Godric barely noticed the magical sphere vanished. Like Godric, the unicorn, in mid-leap, stumbled forward, passing through the dispelled wall, landing on its knees and surprised that it was free.  
  
It was quick to recover. There came the sound of pounding hooves upon crackling dead leaves. It faded in bare seconds. Without turning around to see, Godric knew it was gone.  
  
It took longer for his eyes to clear, and far more time was required before the tight knot in his heart would ease. Once it settled, the pain turned into an unfeeling numbness, he knew he would never return to this place again.  
  
"Thank you, Salazar."  
  
There was a long pause before the other wizard answered.  
  
"You owe me, Godric. It took a long time to capture that unicorn."  
  
"I'm sorry. I will return the favor someday."  
  
"Is that a promise?"  
  
Wanting only to leave the clearing, Godric lifted and lowered his chin brusquely. The short nod satisfied Salazar, who smiled and gestured at Godric to precede the way.  
  
Hours after the wizards left, no unicorn yet ventured into the unshaded circle in the forest. Many days would pass before finally the horned beasts came back to play there once again. Less happily, for one of their number was missing, a human boy they had once befriended and found long ago asleep underneath a tree.  
  
The End. 


End file.
